Opposition parties had asked the ruling BJP government in the state to complete the ongoing work in the Smart City before the arrival of the monsoon season.
But as the work remained incompleted, the city was flooded on Tuesday night.
Reacting to the incident, Congress leader Amarnath Panjikar said: “Panaji Smart City is flooded after just an hour of rain. Just imagine Union Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri what will happen if it rains continuously for more than one hour?
“We had requested you (Puri) to hold a padyatra and walk through Panaji to inspect, but you preferred to sit in the AC Room to enjoy.”
The flood water reached knee level on the ’18 June Road’, which is in the heart of the city.
Earlier in May, when Union Minister Puri had visited the coastal state to review the ‘Smart City’, Congress had advised him to told a Padyatra’in Panaji to witness the substandard work and corruption involved in the project.
Not only the opposition, but Panaji BJP MLA and Revenue Minister Atanasio Monserrate also alleged that the ongoing work is sub-standard.
“I hope I am wrong. But the work of Smart City is substandard. I am just waiting and watching. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has taken charge… My concern is that people should not suffer. I have not interfered because one consultant has been paid Rs 8 crore. I believe he should have been under supervision of PWD. Everyone is trying to wash their hands,” Monserrate said.
“I don’t say whether the consultancy failed or not. (This factor) we will come to know during monsoon season. I feel that substandard work of Smart City is going on. I had done inspection at some places and that work was not up to the standard. When consultancy is there and crores of rupees are spent on them, it is their job to deliver.”
–Ajit Weekly News
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